This invention relates generally to telecommunications and, more particularly, to a system and method of automatically transferring a call from a first telephone to a second telephone when the second telephone is in the proximity of the first telephone.
Call forwarding is a common feature in both landline and wireless telephone systems. Conventionally, a user programs a telephone to ring at another telephone, either unconditionally, or in the event that there is no answer at the programmed telephone. Typically, a user must take the time to program the feature every time call forwarding is desired.
Many telephone users have multiple telephones with separate telephone numbers. Users may have landline telephones at work and home. Users may also have portable telephones, which are carried on or near a user's person, and may have mobile telephones mounted in automobiles. Typically, in such circumstances a user has a preference as to which telephone they would rather use. Some users might prefer to take cellular calls on a landline telephone, because of the cost savings, when they are near their landline telephones. Other users might prefer to take all their calls on a cellular telephone for convenience. Some users might prefer to take calls to their portable telephone on a mobile telephone, when in an automobile, because of the higher performance associated with mobile telephones.
However, it is difficult for a communication network to determine a user's preferences, especially when the preferences are dependent on the user's location and personal circumstances. It is also difficult for a user to remember to consistently enter call transferring instructions. Further, the process of constantly changing the call transferring program can be tiresome.
It would be advantageous if telephone calls could be automatically transferred from a first telephone to a designated telephone, when the first telephone is near the designated telephone. Further, it would be advantageous if such automatic transfer from the first telephone could be automatically nullified when the first telephone is no longer near the designated telephone.